Time-stamp.



"UNITED OFFICE.

CHARLES S. ELLIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ELLIS TIME STAMP COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TIME-STAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 28, 1909.

yPatented J an. 17, 1911.

Serial No. 504,770.

fo all whom it 'may concern;

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. Ennis, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Coolr and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tiinetanips, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which corresponding ,letters of reference in lthe different figures indicate like parts.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a simple and compact time-stamp in which the works of anordinary watch may be utilized. for controlling the movable time marking elements,my purpose being to so construct and combine said elements with the minnte-hand arbor at the bach of the watch and with a printing dial forming a main base, that the structure may be permitted to rest upon said base with the movable marking elements in contact with the supporting surface, without interfering with the action of the time piece.

A further Object is to provide yielding means for supportingthe works of the watch in the main frame with the faces of the movable printing elements norn'ially in the same plane with that of the dial.

Moreover, it is my purpose to provide removable means for setting the hands ol the watch and movable printing elements so as to prevent a change thereof except by one having proper authority.

To these ends my invention consists in the combination of elements hereinafter more particularly described and delinitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a stamp embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom view, Fig. 3 is an enlarged view partly in central vertical section through the winding stem, the supplemental yielding supports being omitted. Fig. 4 is a bottom view showing the main frame-plate of the watch and watch movement as they would appear when the under outer casing is removed. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken upon the line 5,

Fig. 4f, Fig. (3 is a like sectional view taken upon the line G, Fig. 2, and Fig. 7 is a view showing the detached movable printing elements and sectional views of the parts to `which they are attached, said views being intended to indicatethe means employed for seeming the flexible markers to the movable elements upon which they are mounted.

Referring to the drawings l represents generally the upper portion of the outer protecting cas-e which `is formed from sheetmetal of rectangular shape with rounded corners and provided with a circular opening in the top surrounded by a bezel 2, Figs. l and 3, in which is secured the usual crystal S, for the display of the watch face. Said case-member is cupped to form side-walls 4, which are intended to partially inclose a watchunovenient. A sheet-metal handle support 5 is arranged to straddle the casing, the lower ends 'thereof being secured by means of rivets G to the walls 4, while a handle 7 is attached to the upper portion.

li watch movement of any well known construction, is provided with a rectangular sheet-metal plate 8, Figs, 3, land 5, interposed between 'the pillar-plate 9, Fig. 3, and the dial-plate l0. Studs ll, Fig 5, are located in the corners and rigidly attached to the inner face of the case l, which studs project loosely through perforations in the orners of the plate 8. Spiral springs l2 and 13 respectively, are placed upon opposite sides of the plate 8, the one being inter posed between said plate and the casing 1 and the other between said. plate and a washer lf-l, upon the end of the stud. 'Ihe washers are held rigidly in place by means of screws 15, which are tapped vinto the studs Il. One of the walls d of the case is notched, as shown at. 16, Figs. 2, 3 and l-r, to receive the stem 17, of the watch, said notch being of sulicicnt depth to provide for a limited .crtical movement of the stem without being brought into Contact with the case. 'Ille stein is rigidly attached to a flange 18, Figs. 3 and el, vhich is integral with the plate S.

r'l'ountcd upon the minute-hand arbor I9, is a pinion 2,0 in engagement with a gearwheel 21 corresponding to the usual minutewheel at the front of the watch. Upon the hub of the wheel 2l. is a pinion 22 in cngagenient with a wheel 23 also shown in Fig. 7 upon. hub 2st, mounted loosely upon the minutcdiand arbor. The wheel 2B corresponds to the usual hour-wheel at the front of the watch. A disk 25, is rigidly attached. to the hub, said dislr being provided with prongs 2G, cut from the bcdv thereof and l bent outwardly therefrom to serve as a means tor securing thereto an elongated l marking' element 2T formed from rubber or f other yielding material and intended to inl dicate an hour mark. i smaller circular disk 2S is provided yvith a hub 29, Fig. T, a central bore in vvhich is adapted to tit upon the minute hand arbor l) and to be rotated y thereby. Interposed betvveen the disk 2S l and a iiange upon the hub is a thin metal l disk 30, having' prongs 3l, vvhich are bent l over the circular base ot and serve as tasteners for a minute marking hand 32. The markers 2T and 32 are adapted to move in- I dependently of each other and the train ivith which they are connected is adapted to cause them to move in harmony With the hour-hand 323 and minute hand 3ft respectively; the part QT being intended to repret sent the former and the part 32 the latter.

In order to support the disk 25 vvhen pressure is applied to the marker 27 in the act ol printing` I provide an annular ring 25, Fig. 3. ivhich is attached to the back pillarplate Q5" oi the Watch, also shovvn in i, said ring being concentric with the minutehand arbor. and directly beneath the outer edge ot the disk :25.

Arranged to be inclosed by the case-member l is a counterpart case-member Figs. 1, Q, 3, 5 and G, having upturned peripheral iianges adapted to tit vvithin the Walls t, the tivo parts of the case being rigidly attached to each other b v means of screvvs 3G. Attached to the lovver casing' is a base portion 3T of india rubber or other elastic material. to which, in turn, is secured an annular marking dial 3S, having thereon the tigures :trom l to l2. as shown in Fig. The lovver casing' is provided yvith a central circular opening corresponding to the open-- ings in the parts 3T, 38, to provide for the projection therethrough of the hour and minute marking elements, the marking taces oit which are intended to be in the same plane with the face of the dial Depending parallel tianges '39 are provided tor the support oi removable type to indicate dates, the face of the type being' in the same plane with that ot' the dial.

Jrs previously stated, the movable timemarking elements are intended to stand normally in the plane of the dial face, but in order to guard against injury to the vvatch movement by placing excessive stress upon the minute hand arbor during the act of printing, as might frequently occur in the event oi careless usage and especially in case the printing is done upon an uneven sui-tace, I have provided the means described for permitting the entire vvatch movement to yield vvithin the main case. rl`he springs 1Q are intended to be sutliciently stitt1 to cause the movable printing elements i to press against the surlace to be printed vvith suliicient force to make a proper impression, and it only when the stamp is used with excessive force or said elements are brought into contact with a raised surface, that the Watch Work is intended to yield.

I have found in practice that by making' the marking elements Q7 and of sott rubber and elongating them as shown, so that they may yield laterally to slight contact, the stamp, When not in use, may be allowed to rest directly upon the surface ot the dial 3S Without interfering to an objectionable extent with the time-keeping' performance ot' the Watch.

In Figs, l, 2 and G, I have shown yielding means for normally supporting tht` printing dies above the printing surface when desired, vvhich consists ot' tubular studs il-O, rigidly attached to the corners ot the lovver case element llvithin said studs are placed pins eil, the loiver ends oi which project through bores. While the up- Y per ends are provided with heads which bear against light springs 4t2, Fig. b', ot a strength sutlicient to support the Weight ot the stamp. Upon applying pressure to the handle the springs yield to permit the impression to be made.

Inasmuch as stamps ot this kind are trequently used by careless and irresponsible persons, it is desirable that the setting thereof. or adjustment as to time, may be made only by authorized persons. This I am enabled to accomplish by making the stemvvinding shaft 43 hollow, as shovvn in F ig.

to permit the insertion ot a key to engage the movable setting-Wheel and move it into engagement with the usual setting gear, the same action serving obviously to set both the hands and the movable marking dies.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. In a time-stamp, the combination oi a time-movement, hour and minute-marking dies mounted upon the minute hand arbor at thc back thereof, a dial stamping die having hour and minute divisions, said several dies having' their printing faces normally in a common plane, and means tor cushioning the time-movement to avoid injury thereto as a result of excessive pressure upon the hour and minute marking dies.

2. In a time-stamp, the combination with an inclosing case having an annular marking dial upon the back surrounding an opening therein, of a time-piece movably mounted within the case, movable hour and minute marking dies mounted upon the minute-hand arbor ot' said time-piece, said dies projecting through said opening, and yielding means for holding said time-piece in a normal position with the faces ot said markingdies in the same plane with that of said marking dial.

3, 'in ay timestamp, the combination with a casing having' a time-piece mounted therein, a marking dial upon the back of said ase surrounding a central opening therein, a disk loosely mounted upon the minuteliand arbor, hour and minute gears for connecting the two, an hour marking` die mounted upon said disk, means upon the time-piece trame for supporting the periphery oi said disk when pressure is applied to said die., a disk mounted upon said minute hand arbor, the same beingl arranged to bear against said first named disk When pressure is applied to the former, and a minute marking' die mounted upon said secondary disk, the faces ot' said hour and minute marking); dies being normally in the saine plane with that of said marking dial.

il. ln a time-stamp, the combination with a time piece having a supporting base consisting ot a marking dial, of elongated fiexible hour and minute marking dies mounted upon the minute-hand arbor, the marking surface of said dies being in the same plane with that ot said dial whereby said hour and minute marking dies may yield laterally as said arbor is rotated to prevent retardation of the timepiece.

5. The combination with a time movement of a marking dial upon the back thereof, independently movable disks mounted upon the minute hand arbor at the back of said time movement, one of which is litted to rotate therewith, intermediate gears for connecting the other of said disks With said minutehand arbor to impart an hourly rotation to said disk, elongated flexible minute and hour marking dies mounted upon said disks respectively, and means for clamping said elongated'marking` dies to said disks.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specilication in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 25th day of June 1909.

CHARLES S. ELLIS.

Wvitnesses D. H. FLETCHER, CARRIE E. JORDAN. 

